Texting is fun; texting is a blast. It’s so splendid to receive the “I had a really great time with you” text or the “Just thinking about you text.” In fact, it’s so fucking great, that when we DON’T receive those texts, we believe a good time was not had and that we are not being thought about. We’ve developed a new set of standards for relationships: if you don’t text, I’m completely vexed, and I’m onto the next. Not good.

In today’s society, we tend to willingly forget a couple things: the first is that people are human; the second is that one of the secrets to a healthy relationship is letting the other person breathe. Sometimes, believe it or not, people fall asleep. They forget their phones are on silent. They forget their phones, period. They don’t hear the text-chime. They’re mowing the lawn. They’re cooking dinner. OR…or…they simply just didn’t feel like answering back. People don’t seem to handle that well. That usually evokes a response of, “Well, it only takes five seconds to answer a text.” Right. Except for no human being should have to be accounted for every damn second of the day.

I have to wonder if, in relationships, texting causes more good than bad. We prepare ourselves for the worst when we don’t receive texts back, such as “He must not want to talk to me that bad,” etc. I think part of this ridiculousness can be attributed to Greg Behrend, who loves telling women that if a man is not stopping his life for you in every way, shape and form…it’s not worth it. That’s fine, but in the real world, that’s not what you do.

My advice: Put the phone down. Turn the phone off. Have your own life that doesn’t revolve around unlocking your keypad every ten seconds only to disappoint yourself and over-dramatize it in your head. Read a book; watch a movie; hell…do what you’re actually supposed to at work (in other words, take the cell out of your apron or your pocket or your desk drawer, and just concentrate on working). It does wonders for yourself and those around you; trust me.

Obviously, if someone gets your number and you don’t hear from him or her AT ALL, then maybe you should stop pissing around and move on. But if a day goes by without a text? Do something productive with your life, like have your own.